The rations explained

We’ve designed the Ration Challenge to reflect, as closely as we can, what it’s like to eat rations as a Syrian refugee in Jordan.

Our Challenge ration packs contain exactly the same food, in almost the same quantities, as we distribute to refugees.

What's in the box?

We’ll send out ration packs to all Challengers who have signed up and got their first donation by 28 May. That’s to give us time to post you your pack. If you get your first donation after this date, you can still take part in the Challenge, but you’ll need to buy your own rations.

You may get a shock when you first open your ration box – it’s not much for a week! It contains:

Tip: If you are vegetarian or vegan, or have a food allergy, you can substitute any items you can’t eat for an alternative ingredient (use the same weight) e.g. swap sardines for tofu.

And don’t forget your coupons!
As well as the food in your ration pack, you’ll also find two food ‘coupons’ for additional rice and flour. They’re representative of the coupons many refugees are given by the UN or other organisations that can be exchanged in local shops for essential staple foods, such as rice and flour. To recreate your refugee experience, you’ll need to buy an additional 1.5kg of rice and 400g of plain flour and add these to your week’s rations.

Rules…

The Ration Challenge works on a strict honesty policy, so it’s down to you – and your conscience – to see it through properly.

… and rewards

Get cooking!

You may be pleasantly surprised by the number of delicious things you can make from your basic rations – including lentil soup, falafel, hummus and flatbreads. We’ll provide you with some starter recipes in your Ration Guide so you can start practising.

You’ll find more recipes to download, as well as videos of refugees sharing their cooking tips, on your fundraising hub. In early June, we’ll also send you a super-useful, practical meal plan to help you through your Challenge week.

If you enjoy communal cooking, why not take on the Challenge as part of a team? Teams are allowed to pool their rations and share their rewards to help each other out. Plus it really helps to have the moral support of your team mates when the going gets tough. You can create or join a team either when you sign up, or once you’re registered.

Ready to Challenge yourself, and make a real difference for refugees? > Join us now

Rasha’s story

Rasha left Syria with her family when the war arrived on her doorstep.

“We were not thinking about leaving until the day the army came to our neighbourhood and began setting up snipers in all the houses. We were very worried about our family and the safety of our children, so we had to leave.”

The journey she then had to take with her family to find safety in Jordan was extremely difficult. They eventually made it over the border, but Rasha’s heavily pregnant sister was unable to cope with the physical and psychological trauma. Sadly, her baby was stillborn.

Rasha is away from the bombs now, but in Jordan she faces another threat to the lives of her family – finding enough food to eat. She is one of many Syrian families who have not yet received a food kit. Your participation in the Ration Challenge is vital in order to reach families like Rasha’s.